


Short Story #1

by Sashathedoge



Category: Wings of Fire - Tui T. Sutherland
Genre: M/M, lol, nah
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-23
Updated: 2021-01-23
Packaged: 2021-03-14 18:01:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28924740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sashathedoge/pseuds/Sashathedoge
Summary: Sirius and Lifeburnner share a few moments at a bar, far far away from both their homes.
Relationships: OC/OC





	Short Story #1

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this so fucking long ago but now y'all get to enjoy. Everything's original characters, ones just a WOF tribe, others a fantribe. Don't even take place on the same planet as WOF but fuck it. Short story of Life and Sirius's first date. Sort of. Neither of them are calling it a date but I'm the author and I say it's a date so fuck them. God the writting is so so bad, I'm almost sorry.

Both sitting at a bar, not some shitty dim one but not fancy expensive nightclub, not sports bar, just a bar, hum of other creatures in the background, gentle lighting, Lifeburnner agreesivly glaring at his talons as he absentmindedly carves away a line in the well loved and well scratched bar, the tender too busy, too tired and too underpaid to care. Life feels tired but his hearts beating quickly, not quite pounding, just quickly, bits of adrenaline floating though in his veins as if they were in the lazy river at a waterpark, lounging on inner tubes, basking in the sun. He glances at Sirius, sitting up straight, back curving gently, tail wound around the barstool, talons tapping gently against his glass, the condensation running down, darting from drop to drop as it picks up speed only to dissipate once it hits the bar. Sirius's eyes, black and empty as a void, glance back and quickly look away as someone brushes past them, a feathered creature that makes Sirius lean closer into the bar, his tail tightening around the stool leg. Life is as still as a statue, watching the way Sirius muscles move just under his scales, pulling and tightening as he leans forward and back again, relaxing.

Sirius lets go of his drink, the clear liquid sloshing silently, drowned out by their breathing as it settles, neither one wanting to start a conversation as Sirius runs both his talons over his frills, smoothing them back against his neck. His eyes dart from colourful bottle to colourful bottle on the brightly lit shelving unit behind the bar infront of them, just barely catching Life's movement out of their corners as the black dragon smooths his own talons over the scar he made in the wood, brushing away the chips of carnage and clearing his throat awkwardly. Neither wanted to admit this was anything special, they had gone out together before as friends of course, but this interaction felt like it ment more, more than just a reason to get off the ship, more than just a reason to explore a new planet, more than just a reason that they would dare say to eachother. Explanations, talking points, apologies, kicking in their stomachs, clawing their way up their throats, screaming in their mouths, just to get caught behind and inbetween their teeth, slipping down under their tongues that wished they weren't so alone and back down again, cold, dead and unsaid.

Sirius hums in response, a different, more nervous sound than his deep thrumming pur, a sound that makes his whole being sway with it. The chatter in the background dies down as other bar goers and passers by turn in for the night, vacating the bar and it surrounding area, either to go home alone, defeated or to gaze up at the stars of the night sky, happy, complete, but most importantly, successful with a partner in tow. Life was determined to be in the latter group but his fear made him hesitate, fear of stumbling and the fall soon afterwards, fear of failure and rejection, ridiculed by a dragon he was not ever so slowly falling head over tails for. Life was not a nervous dragon, striking up conversation as easy as striking a match, a simple, natural movement, one that shouldn't make his tail twitch nervously, his talons shudder and his eyes glance around the emptying space before landing back on Sirius, varying shades of blue that seemed to shift and sway like a fishes scales in the sunlight, glistening, just out of reach, just unobtainable, the seaweed like green that wrapped itself around his legs, clinging ever so tightly to him as it crawled upwards, losing hope and energy just above his elbows and knees. Sirius hummed again, feeling Life's eyes on him and shiftes his weight, the barstool creaking as he does, the deadly claws on his back talons dragging across the ground and soon leaving it as the legs they were attached to moved and were slowly crossed, a desperately needed movement after being stagnant for so long.

"It's getting late, we should head back and get ready for take off tomorrow," Life said, breaking the silence, shattering it like a mirror throw carelessly onto concrete, shards shattering almost mathematically, calculated chaos ensuing. He could feel the words still in his throat, stumbling through his mouth and catching on his teeth as he said them and waiting for Sirius's response, a wait that could have fit exactly three eternities into it, a fact Life was sure about since he counted himself, seconds dragging their feet like children on the first day of school, minutes moving like walking cacti supposedly in search of water. The sound of the statement still rang in Life's head like a church bell he stood too close too when it rang when Sirius responded, "yes, that's probably a good idea, we do need to leave early after all," his lips moving rhythmically over his teeth, teeth that bit at said lips nervously once the response had left them, leaving them barren and alone like a fleeting love on a cool summer night. Neither made a move to leave though, Sirius resumes his slow tapping on his glass, the condensation mostly gone now, the ice melted. Life ran the pad of a talon gently over the scar he had made in the wooden bar, his eyes studying the grains. The bar was nearly decimated now compared to the lively activity that had been around them what seemed like just moments before, mumblings from the few patrons left amongst themselves, the clink of glasses as the bartender continued to work, his shift not over for another hour and a half.

Sirius was tired, his talons felt heavy as they tapped away, the faint noise they made against the glass lost on his ears as he wandered deeper into thought, his previous statement already long forgotten and cast aside like trash no one felt like holding onto until they found a bin for it. His mind wandered, wandered into his feelings he tried not to feel and that he attempted not to let spill out of him and let him look foolish and silly. Sirius was used to never being taken seriously, dismissed as too emotional, too easy to upset, too simple to deceive. Sirius, a dragon that had been trying his best to hide his feelings deep in his heart, tucked away under his soul, locked tightly away, now found himself unlocking them and pulling them out gently and turning them over in his mind, inspecting each and every unsaid word of affection, every unmoved touch of reassureance, every glace of trust like shards of precious stones he had been hiding away from the world, the fear of them being cracked too great, the memory of others being shattered too recent. He put them back, locked them away, hidden once again, all but one. All but one precious shard he gripped onto tightly, fear rising in his spine, hesitation sinking it's claws into his lungs but with a shudder and a deep breath they fell away, reassurance and self confidence like a comforting blanket settled around his shoulders. He set down his glass, unwound himself from the barstool and uncrossed his legs, his back talons settling safely onto the ground where they belonged as he stood, nervousness, fear and a twinge of vulnerability in Life's eyes as they met Sirius's, assertive, collected determination in his own. Sirius let his deep ocean-blue talons brush over Life's gently, passing him that saved shard of emotion, of feeling, like a sacred gift made up of a thousand words in one gentle movement. As soon as it was there it was gone again, Sirius settling all four legs onto the ground as he strode towards the door, his half finished beverage abandoned alongside a confound partner, still left reeling.

**Author's Note:**

> What a fucking trip, eh? Do I know what happened next? No idea. Sirius probably went back to the ship and passed out on his makeshift bed in the cockpit because emotions took all of his energy, Life probably never slept again, staring at his ceiling all night having an existential crisis in his room. He's very good at not sleeping and having a crisis.


End file.
